Altra Men's AL0A546V Solstice XT 2 Cross Training Shoe

Product Information

Since debuting their first shoe in 2011, Altra has gained popularity with both trail and road runners of all levels. The brand now offers shoes with a wide variety of cushioning, support, and traction. The first thing to like about the Altra Solstice XT 2 is their Footshape feature. Altra uses a proprietary feature in pretty much all of their running and training shoes called Footshape. Essentially, it’s a feature that replicates the anatomy of the foot to provide a more comfortable and seamless fit in shoes. To my knowledge, it is the only lightweight cross-trainer that provides both zero drop and wide toe box.

The smooth, flat profile of the outsole gives a stable, level platform for lifting and balance exercises, unlike shoes with deeper lugs that feel off-balanced for such activities.For shorter runs, the Altra Solstice XT 2 will work pretty well. I found this model to be comfortable for my running sessions that were under two miles and I think you get a nice amount of energy return in this model. The wide toe box also helps to contribute to why I like this shoe for pre and post-workout runs. This leaves altra in a unique market, where every sub category of shoes that they make with this zero drop, wide toe box platform have no competitors. That said, I did put the Solstice XT through agility drills, sprinting, plyometrics, jumping, and other exercises that put a lot of lateral stress on the upper. I can report that it holds up perfectly well in these conditions.

United Kingdom-based Vivobarefoot was one of the first companies to lean fully into barefoot shoes, and they continue to make innovative models for outdoor sports and hiking. The latest iteration of the Primus Trail line combines a tough-lugged outsole (which is also great for golf, FYI) with a lightweight, form-fitting upper and a focus on sustainable and vegan materials. All of their women’s shoes also feature the brand’s “Fit4Her” design, which essentially means that they modify the fit of the shoe to accommodate the slightly different shape of women’s feet. First, those with limited lower leg mobility may have issues because of the shoe’s zero drop. It would be better to opt for a shoe with a more traditional heel elevation (see some ideas in “The Competition” section below).The upper feels race-ready. It’s a thin fabric in most places, and reminds me a bit of the Brooks Hyperion. Unlike the Brooks Hyperion, the fabric on the upper of the Solstice has a seam at the base of the tongue to change materials. There are multiple aspects to like about the Altra Solstice XT 2’s construction and performance in the gym and for various workouts.

The most important priority to keep in mind is that a barefoot shoe feels like it fits your foot. Nobody else's! Online barefoot pundits tend to talk in hyperbole, but ultimately, this is about feeling good, helping you do the things you love, and building up your body's weak links. This model has exposed midsole laters in the forefoot and midfoot, which isn’t a problem in most settings. However, on concrete and asphalt, if you’re cutting or digging your feet into the ground, then you may run into some issues with the outsole peeling away from the midsole in this model. Performance

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The Solstice is Altra’s lightweight race-styled shoe that is similar to their Escalante Racer shoes. The last thing to like about this model — which I somewhat touched on above — is that this is a good cross-training shoe for HIIT workouts, classes, and shorter runs. If you like using your cross-training shoes for this style of training, then I think you’ll enjoy how these shoes feel as a whole.